It strikes me that embarrassment is a huge barrier to participation in physical activity for aging people, and it’s not even the most substantial one. Other obstacles include lack of money or transportation to attend an age-appropriate exercise class. In some cases, older adults are hobbled by arthritis or are wheelchair-bound. And sometimes taking a walk isn’t a viable option when a neighborhood doesn’t feel safe or the sidewalk is cracked and pitted.
Guaranteed income programs across California are working with pregnant women and families in an effort to break the cycle of poverty-driven health disparities.
Pregnant women and their babies are especially vulnerable to the effects of stress, which is often tied to poverty and exposure to violence.
The California Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Pesticide Regulation announced a deal with pesticide manufacturers to end sales of the pesticide chlorpyrifos statewide by early next year. But environmental advocates also want the state to curb other agricultural pesticides.
Medical providers in California and nationwide are increasingly recognizing that racism and discrimination affect children’s health, and they’re seeking to tackle the problem. Last month, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued its first policy statement on how racism affects the health and development of children and teens.
Advocates say a plan to turn a grassy lot in Oxnard into a port storage facility is part of a pattern of disregarding poor communities living near California’s ports. These neighborhoods are often saddled with disproportionate amounts of industrial pollution compared to more affluent locales further away from port facilities.